There were many Hindu ceremonies in progress this whole weekend. The full moon prompts extra religious ceremony & activity in Hindu culture. In addition to that, Pak Putu Swamana was sanctifying a new temple that was just built up the road from his home.
He explained that there is a heavy emphasis of being in balance with nature: both with the things we see & those we can’t see.
The full moon ceremonies are occasions to pray for balance and peace, both within our hearts and in the world around us.

Never satisfied with merely observing- I brought a sarong & borrowed a Balinese head wrap, and participated in the ceremony- experiencing a taste of Balinese Hindu culture.

Being the spiritual leader of this temple & local community is a team effort between Pak Putu Swamana and his wife. Her role in the ceremony was unmistakable and equally important. Pak chanted prayers in Sanscrit language, while Ibu lit incense, blessed each temple and person with splashes of holy water, and carried flower & food offerings through the whole ceremony. No one person is more important than the other, according to pak Putu Swamana.

I didn’t understand a word of the Sanscrit, but in the Balinese Hindu tradition, emphasis is put on understanding the prayers, and not merely repeating sounds. Ratna cleared up any misunderstandings about it being an ancient language or not: it continues to be a living language here. So, I guess that makes most Balinese tri-lingual (Balinese, Indonesian, and Sanscrit).

Another interesting part of special Hindu ceremonies is the placing of rice on the forehead. It’s a symbol of purifying our hearts & thoughts. The colors have a meaning too (red vs. white), but I have to admit I forgot… anyways- we all had rice on our foreheads

There are 5 parts to the Hindu prayers here:

empty hands. Represents respect to God
white flower. Represents respect to Radithia (the creator) and cleaning our hearts before making a wish.
red flower. Represents respect to Brama (god of fire)
mixed red & white flower. Wherever we are, the god/spirit of the temple will hear our wish
empty hands. Thanks to God for everything he gives us

These are similar to the prayer rituals that are repeated everyday, at least once a day at home, at work… my taxi cab drivers performed prayers over their car,,, praying for luck, safety & good business. Once, when I bought a sarong in a road-side shop, the owner made a prayer for continued good luck using the money I had just given her. (I was her first customer in weeks). The prayers, complete with flowers & water, incense, and banana leaf baskets, are found everywhere on Bali. The incense is to clear your mind of all other thoughts before praying, I learned.

I’m still fairly ignorant of many of the Hindu beliefs and history, but the traditions and prayers/offerings are a big part of the daily ritual in Bali.

The best answer I got in regards to the confusing subject of polytheism (many gods) vs. monotheism (1 God) was an analogy using Marines. I’m a helicopter pilot. There are infantrymen, artillerymen, truck drivers, logistics-men, admin clerks, mechanics, intel analysts, air traffic controllers, etc… and we are all Marines.

Similarly, according to Kadek, Agus, Ratna & Pak Putu,,, God has many functions,,, or performs in many ways. Each function is given its own name [ie. Siva (supreme being), Brama (creator), Vishnu (preserver),,, and hundreds more…] but each is still a reflection of the one God.

The village of Penebel welcomed me in. It was really nice sitting among the friendly faces of this small, humble village in central Bali.